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A question.

I just read something there tonight. It made me wonder about how I come across in words.

Do I come across as having a hidden agenda?

I unfollowed a blog tonight. It just isn’t working out. Difference of opinion. End of story.

I don’t even know why I started a blog now. Am I supposed to have an end goal?

I am 43 working full time as a driver and I some days feel like writing about something and some days I don’t. It’s that simple.

I have a young family and I don’t like the world this generation is setting them up for. It worries me what society will be like for them and any grandchildren that come along. That’s the truth. That’s my worry. At times this will come out in my posts.

As anybody who followed me from the start, a couple of months ago, will know, I used to write silly wee stories. I love humour. But I find this increasingly difficult when the world is marching straight on into the abyss where the material things are the main things.

In this world where everything seems to be a competition, where does it leave somebody who isn’t competitive? And do I come across like I have an agenda? And does anybody else blog about matters that affect the whole world? And what are their solutions?

I feel closer to the Holy Spirit this past few years. I am all for meditating and praying but when I open my eyes the world looks the same messed up, greedy place, and my kids still have to endure “the system”.

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51 thoughts on “A question.”

Hidden agenda? Don’t think so, Frankie. If you do, then so do I. You write what’s front and center in your heart. You write when the mood (or muse) compels you.

I too despair about the world and what it means for the next couple of generations, if it lasts that long. I just haven’t found the words to say it. Until this very moment, that is.

If someone has a problem with that, then: Point, click, un-follow. Just like you did.

As to two remaining questions:”does anybody else blog about matters that affect the whole world?” Sure. I cannot point you to specific directions, though. “And what are their solutions?” I’d like to know that – so far, anytime I’ve encountered a blog that examined these issues, solutions were far from evident.

Thank you Maggie. Good old Gandhi. India with its slums nowadays is a far cry from what he hoped, I reckon. Those poor people. They need a new Gandhi. We all do. I think you are right Maggie, we all have to be the change.

Too true. Gandhiji and other freedom fighters and Indians at that point of time could have never imagined the India of today- corruption,greed, communalism (sectarianism). There is so much poverty that people resort to begging, robbing, scavenging and even selling their children and women folk. The truth of slums is not simple. Some people come to the cities to earn and have no option but to stay in slums, others find it a cheap rent-free with free electricity and run successful businesses from there, others take the benefit of government’s rehabilitation schemes, sell/sublet their houses and move on to other slums. These colonies are vote banks and sometimes haven for criminals. Some of the slum dwellers have agricultural lands and run schools and temples in their native places (profitable businesses). So many people face the dilemma of the values to impart to their children. Should you let them take the easy path of doing anything to get what they want or the ‘old fashioned values’. The latter is never easy.Cheaters prosper these days and they are the ones who are feted. The employees who ‘butter’ the bosses get all the perks, promotions and their workload is lighter. The problem my daughter faces is that she by her behavior, talent, hard work and no shortcuts make her the favorite of teachers/bosses which makes her colleagues jealous and alone. I advise her to find like-minded people. You lose some, you win some. It hurts a lot. This is life.

A very informative comment. As you say it must be a hard decision for parents there, which values to teach.
Mother Teresa used to have a prayer. “People will hate you for doing good. Do good anyway.” etc etc.
I hope your daughter will find like minded people.

I understand your position as well as your dilemma. For me personally I turned to writing because I was so frustrated withe my outer world and the people in my most immediate world other than my very beautiful family. I have no agenda, even in my writing, and tire quickly of being advised jow to wrote to please the masses even though it might not be true to my spirit. My goal, however, is to put my thoughts, emotions and understanding out there in the hope that someone else who is wandering confused and lonely might find some comfort in what I share. I get plenty disgusted and angry as does my husband. The best that I can do is live a Christ like life, teach my children and grand children what unconditional live is and BE what I envision for humankind. There are many people expressing themselves out there but I dont care to grt embroiled in political entanglements because it isnt what I am lead to do. But I would fight for what I have to if that moment arrived. There are some good discussion groups on google+. You should do what your heart tells you. It isnt about numbers, popularity or doing what someone else wants you to. Its about being authentic with respect for the fact that in print sometimes things lose their original impact. You do a wonderful job.

Thanks Cheryl. We are like you guys in that we raise the kids to have manners and stand up for those who can’t. The thing is, it must be an outdated form of parenting because every teacher (yes every teacher) they have had so far has made a point of stopping my wife in the street and telling her that our girls are the most well mannered and kindly children they have in their classes. I have heard it myself at those parent teacher days. I feel like I know I have great girls and the world isn’t worthy of them. They also are up to date with all their conspiracy theories/facts 🙂 They have rewritten history lessons on the moon landings 🙂
I know Christ taught us differently than anybody before or since. We have to love our neighbour as much as we love ourselves. For it is in giving that we receive. I feel that is our purpose. That is our ticket to heaven.
Reincarnation perhaps is for those who like to return, or fail to understand. No panic. The man who made time made plenty of it.
He didn’t sneak around doing good deeds in the dark. He came out and showed how to be the change. No fear.
And God bless America 🙂
You do a wonderful job also Leonardette.

Thanks Frankie, for some reason this reply didn’t show up in my notices. I would love for your girls to meet my guys. It is very difficult to find young people whose parents instill a sense of responsibility, respect and compassion in their children. My boys used to have stayovers with their friends and those parents always said, “They can come back ANY time.” It always made me very proud of them. For my way of thinking it is indeed what you do that counts and not how many flags a person attaches to their vehicles or tattoos on their chests. For what IS a country without its people? Love the people who are in need. Christ did not hole up in synagogues and churches but went out into the world to find the hungry and feed their souls.
“For what profiteth a man if he gain the world and lose his soul?”
(Not bad for someone who “quit” organized religion some 20 years ago, eh? :))) On never forgets the words of truth.

Writing can be a little therapeutic. Write what you feel like writing, unless we develop a chronic difference of opinion, I’ll hang in and follow. My blog drifts from serious to rants and occasionally a post that echoes your concern about the future we are leaving the next gen. Maybe if enough of us talk about it, we can raise the awareness in others.

Cheers Dan. I think that may be the only way. For every twenty who hear the real story, maybe one person will hear the penny drop. Even the man Himself, when he was here two thousand years ago, couldn’t win them all.

Every writer has an agenda. We all have something we want to say or we wouldn’t write. The question is whether we are writing something with a particular audience in mind? Is our goal to persuade that (maybe hostile) audience? Are we writing mainly to entertain ourselves (and that can mean ranting as much as writing “clever wee stories”).

But I believe this about writing; writing is a road. I have three big boxes full of journals. I wrote them between 1981 and a little bit trickling into the present. I have also kept a personal blog with a very few readers. Now I don’t do that. This blog is public. Why? I’ve changed as a person. My journals are beautiful works of art in their way — but also terribly embarrassing in sections. There seem to have been two or three very stubborn dilemmas in my life I could never figure out so I went at them over and over trying to get to the bottom of them. I didn’t see that as I was writing about them. They were intensely troubling my heart often involved. Only now I see – through those words I hope no one ever reads – what exactly has been my “basic malfunction.” Was I writing all that so that later I could uncover this fact about myself? Maybe — maybe my agenda was self-discovery.

I think the blog (since you’re writing publicly) isn’t purely self-expression. You clearly want to be read or you wouldn’t be here. There are a couple of blogs I cannot stand; they are almost physically repulsive to me. I think that means their writers have some power and ability, but I don’t follow them. I have am also strongly opposed to any kind of fundamentalism; I’m not interested in anyone’s cant. IMO those people are not involved in life; theyve accepted a Band-Aid for the giant wound and question that is human existence and they are trying to persuade others — as a way to convince themselves. Otherwise? Personal taste is irrefutable, as are beliefs. I do not have to engage with anyone on that level.

Thank you Martha. Maybe my agenda is to awaken the drugged sleeply-heads to important things 🙂
I love reading about all the religions. I find that stuff fascinating. I ask myself Was Jesus a fundamentalist with added cant? I often try to imagine me, back in the day. If I met him would I have followed or unfollowed him? 🙂 I think I have a feeling for truth when I hear it. Perhaps because I spent many a year telling lies.
But that’s just me innit 🙂

That is what makes you so endearing, you give voice to what so many of us are thinking. My post “One Voice” is an effort to ask similar questions. I’m thick in the throws of dirty business, fighting a filthy battle, and I am deeply frustrated with the state of affairs, I have a long list. I admire your words, and the questions that you ask yourself and others, worry when you stop asking them, then you have joined the voiceless smudges of society. Greed is such a powerful and sickening concept, I ask myself how some folks can sleep at nigh? Greed separates the crowd into three groups, the greedy, the needy, and those that want neither. These thoughts are just mine, but I know I’m not alone, scary though often I stand alone. You will find your answers, or they will find you.

Frankie, I read your blog daily, and I do not in any way get the vibe of a hidden agenda. You speak what is on your mind, and it is your blog, your right to do so. I enjoy your posts. My blog is a personal blog where I may share something deep and meaningful, but then share something completely unimportant. I understand your worries about what your children will have to deal with in the future and applaud you for caring. Many parents don’t care.

I don’t tackle the “tough” world issues on my blog because I have an opinion and no one will change it. Simple as that. My blog is my escape from health problems. We all blog for different reasons. Keep doing what you’re doing. 🙂

Thank you Anna. I will get to do the award thing in the next day or two. I enjoy your blog. I agree in that some parents don’t have the same foresight of where the world is going. That is why I feel the need to maybe wake a few up. There are no tough world issues in my opinion. They are all very simple but most have been duped into thinking they are tough. Change is tough. Cheers Anna, I read your article today. Very good. 🙂

You come across as lovely, funny, forthright, thoughtful, spiritual and great fun to read. I have NEVER sensed a hidden agenda; If I had, I probably would not have followed you in the first place. People with hidden agendas themselves are very often the first to see such things in other people – often wrongly.
I do think, Frankie, that there are some people on here who are just looking for a fight, if you know what I mean – and they will grab hold of the slightest thing you write or do as an excuse to have a dig, have a go.
It is about them and their insecurities, not you.
I speak pretty openly about things in my blog (you may have noticed) – and I am sure there are people out there who think I have a hidden agenda or that I am plain barking mad!
You keep writing, Frankie; I for one would be very sorry to lose your unique take on the world! xxx

By jove I think she’s got it! 🙂 My wife always says something very similar to me. Some people look at other people and think they think like themselves. Me, me, me thinking. Like paranoia. They can’t understand how a person can be happy with just the basic possessions.
Like small man syndrome, attack is always the first line of defence. They become a slave to their possessions. Listening is unimportant. Being heard is everything.
I can be guilty of not listening at times. I need to work on that.
What a nice comment Alienora. Thanks xxx
ps…you’re a barking mad genius.

If you have an agenda, that it must be a well-hidden one. Expressing you’re thoughts and values, sharing stories about your life, aspiring to build a better future for your children and thus interacting with likeminded people isn’t what I’d call an agenda. If anything, I would call it hope, maybe even optimism. After all, if you shared your ideas in a face-to-face dialogue with an acquaintance, who would call it having an agenda? I hope you find your answers, I think many people struggle with similar issues, but solutions seem to be somewhat elusive.

If you, or me, or anyone, is trying to bring a smile, a belly laugh, a bit of hope and encouragement to a crazy world through our posts then I suppose you could say we have an agenda. For me I write what is on my heart, be it the gratitude for a beautiful flower or a snippet from my life. The hope is that others will be touched in some way. Write what’s on your heart Frankie and if it isn’t accepted don’t sweat it. An unfollow doesn’t hurt my feelings at all. It just tells me they don’t agree. Personally, I look forward to your posts, be it “silly wee stories” or serious and thought provoking. Don’t you give up sharing your heart, humor, or whatever you decide to write. I’ll be very disappointed if you did that.

Frankie, I struggle with the same thing. I often feel like the world is about to enter another “Dark Age” and there’s not a darn thing I can do about it. This is why I started a positive themed blog, not really because I am necessarily a positive person, but because I am striving to be more positive.

By profession, I am a teacher (going on 20 years!), and I have come to really dislike the career I once loved. The reasons are too numerous to list. But so glad to hear teachers go out of their way to let you know how great they think your kids are. I am sure they wish they had an entire class full of students like your children! Kudos to you and your wife! 🙂

The girls make lots of noise at home, to compensate for the angelic behaviour at school 🙂 But it is lovely to hear we are doing a good job.
Yes, I too believe that we are heading for a dark age. I also believe that’s why some people are starting to notice an invisible divine presence in their lives (Holy Spirit i believe). I feel it’s “game on” between good and evil. Here we go.
Your blog is very uplifting. I must make my next post a positive one. 🙂

Hey Frankie sounds a bit low over here. I’ve only been blogging properly for three months. The blogs that I like are those which come across as being focussed in the real person. Yours does that. It also demonstrates to me that you have a talent. Why blog? Why not? Both these things make me glad you did and glad I met you.

Cheers Liz, not feeling too low. I just left a comment on a blog in defence of somebody. I got a cheeky reply then deleted comment. That’s what sparked it. Then I was accused of being up to political something or other.
So then I just thought maybe I do come across strange, so I asked you guys 🙂
Thanks for the lovely comment and encouragement.
This damn mini laptop (the new one). The mouse touchpad thing stopped working. So i am working with a separate mouse, which seems to have a mind of its own. 🙂

Hidden agenda? No! The very first time I visited your blog, I said to myself, “Here is an honest heart-felt voice.” and I clicked follow. I prefer agendas to be clear from the start. I have an agenda for my blog, so I used a slogan for the name of the blog. “Love, Support, Educate, Advocate, Accept…” I blog about matters that affect the whole world – autism and disabilities (aka unique abilities) but more specifically I write about my own personal experiences. Let’s face it no one is clicking follow just to hear me preach. It’s the heart-felt emotion and unique voice that readers seek. Gandhi was a great teacher. Be the change! I asked myself the same questions you ask yourself in this post: Reflections on Life, Laughter, and Love | Love, Support, Educate, Advocate, Accept…. You may be closer to finding the solution than you think!

Thank you. A workmate told me today that I care too much. I can’t help it.
I don’t want to be Gandhi in a world where this generation don’t even have the sense to think for themselves. I see things like injustice and get upset. I know lots who shrug it off as it will never visit their door.
Fingers crossed folks start to stand up and give the real news.
Thank you, you have a nice blog Liana.

First of all, I love your writing Frankie. You have inspired me and I think you are a great person too. It’s refreshing to hear of someone who isn’t out their only to “get big.” They blog only as an avenue to share their thoughts and receive input on their thoughts and they are satisfied with that. Like a journal. I think the only thing thus far that I’ve blogged about that directly affects the whole world is my “food for the poor post.” Like you commented, the only solution starts with yourself. You can only control what you do and hope it inspires others. If it doesn’t, at least you know you did you’re best while you were here on earth. Creating awareness to others and by actually doing it yourself is the solution. I feel the same way as you for my future (unborn) children, but we must worry, the world is what it is. The influence is up to us as parents, mentors, aunts etc. and we can only hope that our influence will come first and stronger than the media. With that said, we can only do the best we can. As for my blog, I do have an agenda, nothing more than to open peoples eyes to the world of travel and culture and veer them away if only a little from their everyday bubble that they consume there selves in. It is refreshing to remember their is so much more important things out there than our little lives that we get so incredibly caught up in. Yes, of course I would LOVE to get paid to do this, but who wouldn’t love to get paid to do what they love?

Cheers Jackie. Keep up the good work. Yes I too would love to make my living doing something like this. I think I mentioned it in the About page. You are building a following so…maybe it will happen for you.

Write what you want, it’s your blog!
I also have a hard time dealing with all the crap going on in the world today. I write/blog partly just to get it all out of my system, but more in hopes that some other people will read what I have to say and will think about what’s going on. I hope I can pass on enough to open their eyes just a little bit, enough to get them to start questioning, start looking for different ways, better ways to do things. No, I don’t have all the answers (even tho some people accuse me of acting like I do), but I know I do have some and yes, I will keep on talking about it.
The way I see it, if you don’t like what I have to say, then you don’t have to read my blog. I would HOPE that people would at least attempt to convince me that my position is wrong, but so far only 2 people have, 1 of those un-followed me and I think the other is still pissed off. Oh well…
You’re doing just fine here. Don’t let some a**ho$es break your stride!